Detachable loading device for garden shredder

ABSTRACT

A detachable loading ramp for shredders of the type used for lawn materials.

United States Patent Lautzenheiser et al.

l l Mar. 11, 1975 DETACHABLE LOADING DEVICE FOR GARDEN SHREDDERInventors: Robert D. Lautzenheiser; Howard M. Ullman, Jr., both ofBluffton, lnd.

The Red Cross Manufacturing Corporation, Bluffton, lnd.

Filed: Feb. 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 223,140

Assignee:

US. Cl. 241/186 R, 24l/l0l.7 Int. Cl. B02c 13/16 Field of Search241/l0l.7, 186 R, 188 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,448,932 6/l969 Pmhl24l/l88 R X 3,674,220 7/1972 Tuppcr 241/186 R 2/l973 Batcman 241/186 RPrimary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mann,Brown, McWilliams & Bradway [57] ABSTRACT A detachable loading ramp forshredders of the type used for lawn materials.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DETACHABLE LOADING DEVICE FOR GARDENSHREDDER The present invention is directed to new and usefulimprovements in shredders of the type used for shredding material suchas leaves, prunings, etc., and is particularly concerned withimprovements which facilitate loading of such shredders.

The major purposes of the present invention are to provide shredders ofthe foregoing class with simple, economical and easily handled load rampfacilities, to enable material to be swept into the shredder inletopening, to provide facilities in such ramp, enabling simple coupling ofthe ramp to the inlet opening of a shredding compartment, while at thesame time forming the ramp in a manner which minimizes possibilities ofpersons accidentally placing a hand or foot within the inlet.

These and other purposes will become more apparent in the course of theensuing specification and claims, when taken with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a loading ramp illustrated inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating a selective use of the loadingramp of FIGS. 1 and 2 and a feed hopper; and

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a coupling.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout thespecification and drawings.

Referring specifically now to the drawings, and in the first instance toFIG. 1, the numeral generally designates a shredding housing having apair of supporting wheels 11 and a support stand 12 of the typedescribed in my U.S'. Pat. No. 3,593,930, the disclosure of which isherein incorporated by reference. The housing 10 supports an engine 13on the upper wall thereof so as to rotate plural shredding blades 14around a generally vertical axis within the housing. As described insaid patent, the housing 10 includes an upwardly open inlet 15 at oneside of the arc developed by the blades 14 during rotation thereof, anda laterally directed outlet 16 which is separated from the inlet by apartition wall structure 17. As disclosed in said patent, the housing isdefined by a bottom wall and a cylindrical or circular side wall as wellas a top wall or cover plate overlying the side wall to define ashredding chamber. The housing or base thus defined has a shallowcup-shaped form. Blades 14 define a rotor structure carried by the shaftof the engine, which shaft extends into the base or shreddingcompartment. In this type of shredder a plurality of stationary breakermembers or bars 14a are located within the chamber at spaced positionson the side wall of the base or housing. These breaker members haveopenings or notches 14b therein for registering with the tip portions ofthe blades. The tip portions of the blades extend to the region of theside wall. The inlet 15 defines a receptacle for receiving material tobe shredded. Outlet 16 is defined by one portion of the side wall of thebase, and part of the bottom wall and part of the top wall as well asthe partition wall 17. The outlet thus provides a dischargeconduitpenetrating the side wall for forcible discharge of the shreddedmaterial.

The inlet includes a rear wall 18 which slopes downwardly between wall17 and a side wall 17a and toward the blade area so that materials feddownwardly against the wall 18 are directed more or less radiallyinwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of the blades 14. The topof the outlet passage is closed by a wall 19. A reinforcing bar 19aextends across the wall 19 and is fixed to this wall and the oppositeside wall.

As described in said patent, the shredder includes a feed hopper 20which has an outlet opening at the bottom thereof generally matching theinlet opening 15. Hopper 20 is fixed in position over the inlet openingthrough use ofa laterally extended bracket 21 which is adapted to fitsnugly against the wall 19. An aperture 22 in the bracket fits overabolt 23 and a nut 23a is used to hold the bracket 21 snugly against thetop wall 19. The other side of the hopper includes a flange 24 which isnotched as at 25 to receive a locator stud 250 which is carried by thehousing alongside the inlet.

In accordance with the present invention, a loading ramp is provided foruse with the shredding housing in lieu of the feed hopper 20. Theloading ramp is defined by a hood section generally designated at 26 anda feed chute section generally designated at 27.

The hood section is defined by spaced side walls 28 and 29, a top wall30, and a forward wall 31. The bottom of the hood section is open as isthe space between the side walls 28 and 29 opposite to front wall 31.

A bracket 32 extends laterally from one side wall 28 so as to fit overthe bolt 23 and be positioned snugly against the top wall 19 of theoutlet 16. Bracket 32 includes an aperture 33 to receive bolt 23. Theother side wall of the hood section includes a lug or bracket 34 whichis adapted to receive lug 26 to secure the hood section in position overthe inlet 15 to the shredder.

The feed chute section 27 is defined by abottom wall 36 and spaced sidewalls 37 and 38. The bottom wall 36 diverges or flares outwardly fromthe hood section as viewed from above, as do the side walls 37 and 38.The bottom wall 36 and side walls 37 and 38 are formed from a singlepiece of metal.

The side walls 37 and 38 have a tapered form, as is seen in thedrawings, with their ends adjacent to the side walls 27 and 28 of thehood section generally matching the height of these walls. The upperrims 37a and 38a of the side walls 37 and 38 may be turned as shown. Thefeed chute section is fixed to the hood section 26 by means of bolts 39.

The feed chute section is formed on an angle with the hood section sothat the outer end 40 of the feed chute section may rest upon the groundin use.

Top wall 30 includes a downwardly extending lip or shield 300 betweenthe side walls 37 and 38.

Side walls 28 and 29 extend downwardly beneath the level of thebrackets, 32 and lug 34 and below the bottom of the trough wall 36adjacent thereto. This provides depending guides as at 28a to fit withinthe inlet opening and adjacent the walls 17 and 17a.

As formed, the loading ramp enables a convenient sweep-in loadingfacility for the shredder. Leaves or the like may be swept from theground and up the ramp through the hood section and into the inletopening 15 of the shredder. The leaves and other debris may also bedumped into the loading ramp from whence they may be moved through thehood section and into the I inlet opening through the hood section isabove the level of the uppermost blade within the shredder which is anadditional safety precaution.

The loading ramp, when coupled to the shredder, may be utilized as ahandle for elevating the support stand 12 to enable transport of theshredder.

I claim:

1. In a shredding and bagging machine for yard usage, the combinationcomprising a base of shallow cup shape having a bottom wall and acircular side wall defining a shredding chamber, transport means forsupporting the base in horizontal position slightly upraised above theground, a cover plate fitted to the base for enclosing the same, anengine mounted on the cover plate and having a drive shaft which extendsinto the base, a rotor mounted on the shaft including a blade having tipportions extending to the region of the side wall, a plurality ofstationary breaker members at spaced positions on the side wall andhaving horizontal notches formed therein for registering with the tipportions of the blade, means including a discharge conduit penetratingthe side wall for forcible discharge of the shredded material, the coverplate having a receptacle for feeding material into the chamber, a rampof flaring construction having side walls defining a narrow upper endand a wide lower end, and means for securing the ramp with respect tothe receptacle so that the narrow end communicates with the receptacleand so that the wide end extends downwardly at a shallow angle intoengagement with the ground thereby permitting leaves or the like lyingon the ground to be swept upwardly into the receptacle.

2. In a shredding and bagging machine for yard usage, the combinationcomprising a base defining a shredding chamber, transport means forsupporting the base in horizontal position slightly upraised above theground, an engine mounted on the base and having a drive shaft whichextends into the base, shredding means in said chamber operable by saidshaft, means including a discharge conduit in communication with saidshredding chamber for forcible discharge of the shredded material, thebase having a receptacle for feeding material into the chamber, a rampof flaring construction having side walls defining a narrow upper endand a wide lower end, and means for securing the ramp with respect tothe receptacle so that the narrow end communicates with the receptacleand so that the wide end extends downwardly at a shallow angle intoengagement with the ground thereby permitting leaves or the like lyingon the ground to be swept upwardly into the receptacle.

1. In a shredding and bagging machine for yard usage, the combinationcomprising a base of shallow cup shape having a bottom wall and acircular side wall defining a shreddiNg chamber, transport means forsupporting the base in horizontal position slightly upraised above theground, a cover plate fitted to the base for enclosing the same, anengine mounted on the cover plate and having a drive shaft which extendsinto the base, a rotor mounted on the shaft including a blade having tipportions extending to the region of the side wall, a plurality ofstationary breaker members at spaced positions on the side wall andhaving horizontal notches formed therein for registering with the tipportions of the blade, means including a discharge conduit penetratingthe side wall for forcible discharge of the shredded material, the coverplate having a receptacle for feeding material into the chamber, a rampof flaring construction having side walls defining a narrow upper endand a wide lower end, and means for securing the ramp with respect tothe receptacle so that the narrow end communicates with the receptacleand so that the wide end extends downwardly at a shallow angle intoengagement with the ground thereby permitting leaves or the like lyingon the ground to be swept upwardly into the receptacle.
 1. In ashredding and bagging machine for yard usage, the combination comprisinga base of shallow cup shape having a bottom wall and a circular sidewall defining a shreddiNg chamber, transport means for supporting thebase in horizontal position slightly upraised above the ground, a coverplate fitted to the base for enclosing the same, an engine mounted onthe cover plate and having a drive shaft which extends into the base, arotor mounted on the shaft including a blade having tip portionsextending to the region of the side wall, a plurality of stationarybreaker members at spaced positions on the side wall and havinghorizontal notches formed therein for registering with the tip portionsof the blade, means including a discharge conduit penetrating the sidewall for forcible discharge of the shredded material, the cover platehaving a receptacle for feeding material into the chamber, a ramp offlaring construction having side walls defining a narrow upper end and awide lower end, and means for securing the ramp with respect to thereceptacle so that the narrow end communicates with the receptacle andso that the wide end extends downwardly at a shallow angle intoengagement with the ground thereby permitting leaves or the like lyingon the ground to be swept upwardly into the receptacle.